XR Industry Activation Award

With the XR Industry Activation Award, nextReality.Hamburg e.V. honors XR projects by companies that have made a tangible impact within their industry. We are looking for initiatives that set new standards, transform processes, or inspire entire markets through the strategic use of XR technologies – whether Augmented, Virtual, or Mixed Reality.

This new category is specifically aimed at companies from industry, mid-sized enterprises, and the tech sector that are not just experimenting with XR, but have already integrated it strategically and sustainably into their business processes, products, or services. The goal is to spotlight these pioneering projects – and encourage others to follow their lead.

Unlike the traditional contest categories of the nextReality.Contest, the Industry Activation Award is not a competitive prize with nominees and a single winner. Instead, a curated selection of impactful projects will be highlighted and celebrated – to inspire other companies to invest in meaningful XR initiatives.

This award serves as a platform for companies who are boldly advancing XR – and have the potential to inspire others to do the same.

We are looking for lighthouse projects that demonstrate how XR can be strategically applied within organizations and industries.

XR projects with a real-world application are eligible to participate if a company from industry, commerce, or the tech sector played a central role—whether in the conception, implementation, or rollout.
Projects from the fields of Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), or Spatial Computing can be submitted.
The project must also have been active within the past 24 months—for example, through a launch, an update, or a scaled deployment.

The evaluation is carried out by a selected panel of experts from industry, the XR sector, and our association. Submissions will be assessed based on several key aspects, including:

To what extent does the project influence processes, standards, or ways of thinking within its industry? How innovative is the technological implementation? Does the project communicate its goals and content clearly – both internally and externally? What potential does it offer for scalability, sustainability, and long-term business value?

These criteria are intended as guidelines rather than rigid requirements. What matters most is the overall impact of the project – not a perfectly filled-out set of KPIs.

The best submissions will not only be showcased during the nextReality.festival in Hamburg, but also actively promoted within the XR community. Through LinkedIn features, interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and project showcases, we aim to create broad visibility for the selected projects.

Additionally, there will be opportunities to present your project live on stage – for example, as part of panels, talks, or curated sessions during the festival.

Participation takes place via an online form. In addition to a description of the project, key information about the technology used, involved partners, and business impact will be requested.
Applications can be submitted in either German or English.